Too many wives / War is strange

From II Samuel 1-3:

1. Lying is generally not a good policy. It seems that the character that was in the first chapter who thought he was bringing good news to David and his men gambled about lying and lost - his life! Moral of the story - No time is a good time to lie.

2. How many people do you know that make up eulogies commemorating the all the wonderful things that their enemies accomplished during their lifetimes? David was a very unique person in that respect.

3. War is strange and terrible. It seems strange to me that Abner would call out to Asahel and tell him to fight with someone else. It also seems strange that when Joab and his men had surrounded Abner and his men on the hill of Ammah, Abner convinced them to give up. I always thought that when you were in a battle, you would not stop until the battle was over. But it reminds me of the most unusual thing that perhaps has ever happened on a battle front. Google WWI Christmas 1914, or check out this link.

WWI - Christmas 1914

4. It is interesting that the bible states that Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul, presumably so that if something happened to Ish-Bosheth he could take over as king. When Ish-Bosheth accuses him of sleeping with one of his father's concubines, he does not deny the fact. I wonder if, in fact, the accusation was true. If you know the story of Absalom, you will recall how Ahithophel told Absalom to sleep with his father's concubines to strengthen his position (see II Samuel 16:21).

5. It is interesting that David demands Michal of Abner. Did he miss her that much? Was it his first "true love"? I mean, after all, he had already a number of wives. (If you look in II Samuel 3:2-5, six women are mentioned having given birth to sons for him and at least three are wives from the indications here as well as in previous passages. One could also argue that Maacah had to be a wife, as she was a daughter of the king of Geshur.)

6. It is interesting that he takes Michal from her current husband to give back to David. He was really in love with her too. She must have been very attractive or desirable in some way. We see him weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. I wonder who she really loved?

7. This brings me to another point: David's big sin with Bathsheba was previewed by this amassing of wives and women. One can look and tell that perhaps one of David's weaknesses is that he cannot really say no to an attractive woman. In reality, he has already gone against God's commands, as in Deuteronomy 17:17, God told the Israelites that a king must not "take many wives, or his heart will be led astray". One could also look at Solomon and say that "an apple does not fall far from the tree", meaning that Solomon had the same weakness.

8. It is interesting that the Israelites seemingly had already wanted David to be their king for a while. This is evidenced by what Abner says to them in II Samuel 3:17-18.